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parker5011

macrumors regular
May 17, 2018
198
194
Anyone upgraded from an iPhone 7 Plus to an SE 2?

I'm considering it, but the smaller screen and the single-lens camera are keeping me from taking the plunge. I feel like it would almost be a step down or maybe a lateral move, rather than a step up?

The only downgrade is screen size. That’s it. The single lens camera does more and is crisper than the dual on the 7plus. I do not miss it at all
 

5105973

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2014
12,132
19,733
Anyone upgraded from an iPhone 7 Plus to an SE 2?

I'm considering it, but the smaller screen and the single-lens camera are keeping me from taking the plunge. I feel like it would almost be a step down or maybe a lateral move, rather than a step up?
Well I went from a 7 Plus to 8 Plus then XS Max and then XR to 11 Pro to the SE2, lol so yeah indirectly I did.

The 7 Plus/8 Plus had incredible clear displays. I think they gave the best reading experience of all those phones I listed. You do kind of downgrade when going to the SE2020 in that the dpi is lower.

The camera is so much better on the SE, though. The colors are better. Also, no more blown out highlights, which was a complaint of mine with the 7 Plus camera. And low light performance is much improved. You also get much better sound, stereo sound no less, when recording video on the SE 2. I would not have put my 11 Pro on the shelf and made the SE 2020 my daily driver if the camera were a huge compromise.

The digital zoom on the SE will be as good as the optical zoom on the 7 Plus because the software is just so much better. Whatever they did to tweak the old hardware worked some magic. I do think my 11 Pro lens is a little bit sharper, but I mostly notice that on pet fur.

I had an AT&T 7 Plus. It was lousy, almost barely tolerable as a phone. My SE is good. It’s not as good as my Samsung S20, but Samsung really makes great use of Qualcomm modems.

But it’s good enough.

So, display wise it’s a step down because of the lower dpi. But the problem is the next options up in the budget like the XR and iPhone 11 are the same. I find the SE display easier on the eyes for some reason than the one I had on my XR.

That’s just nitpicking though. In actual use it’s not something I think about.

I much prefer carrying and using the smaller SE over any of the other iPhones I’ve had after iPhone 6s Plus. Battery life has been acceptable but I think I’d need a battery case if I take this phone on vacation. But we are vacationing in our backyard this year so...
 

parker5011

macrumors regular
May 17, 2018
198
194
Well I went from a 7 Plus to 8 Plus then XS Max and then XR to 11 Pro to the SE2, lol so yeah indirectly I did.

The 7 Plus/8 Plus had incredible clear displays. I think they gave the best reading experience of all those phones I listed. You do kind of downgrade when going to the SE2020 in that the dpi is lower.

The camera is so much better on the SE, though. The colors are better. Also, no more blown out highlights, which was a complaint of mine with the 7 Plus camera. And low light performance is much improved. You also get much better sound, stereo sound no less, when recording video on the SE 2. I would not have put my 11 Pro on the shelf and made the SE 2020 my daily driver if the camera were a huge compromise.

The digital zoom on the SE will be as good as the optical zoom on the 7 Plus because the software is just so much better. Whatever they did to tweak the old hardware worked some magic. I do think my 11 Pro lens is a little bit sharper, but I mostly notice that on pet fur.

I had an AT&T 7 Plus. It was lousy, almost barely tolerable as a phone. My SE is good. It’s not as good as my Samsung S20, but Samsung really makes great use of Qualcomm modems.

But it’s good enough.

So, display wise it’s a step down because of the lower dpi. But the problem is the next options up in the budget like the XR and iPhone 11 are the same. I find the SE display easier on the eyes for some reason than the one I had on my XR.

That’s just nitpicking though. In actual use it’s not something I think about.

I much prefer carrying and using the smaller SE over any of the other iPhones I’ve had after iPhone 6s Plus. Battery life has been acceptable but I think I’d need a battery case if I take this phone on vacation. But we are vacationing in our backyard this year so...

I just found the iPhone 7  battery case for $30 at Kohl’s so I’m good for long days!
 

jimmy_uk

macrumors 68020
Oct 19, 2015
2,375
3,192
UK
Anyone upgraded from an iPhone 7 Plus to an SE 2?

I'm considering it, but the smaller screen and the single-lens camera are keeping me from taking the plunge. I feel like it would almost be a step down or maybe a lateral move, rather than a step up?

The SE 2020 is the most pocket-friendly LCD iphone. This could be a big advantage if you've tired from the 7 Plus size and weight.

I'd consider the SE 2020 if I coupled with an ipad purchase as currently, I use my 7 plus for all internet surfing, emails and youtube etc - it's my mini ipad. I couldn't replace that experience alone with the SE 2020 due to smaller screen and lower PPI. Just depends how you use your phone.
 

JagRunner

Suspended
Oct 18, 2018
580
2,735
Houston,Texas
The SE 2020 is the most pocket-friendly LCD iphone. This could be a big advantage if you've tired from the 7 Plus size and weight.

I'd consider the SE 2020 if I coupled with an ipad purchase as currently, I use my 7 plus for all internet surfing, emails and youtube etc - it's my mini ipad. I couldn't replace that experience alone with the SE 2020 due to smaller screen and lower PPI. Just depends how you use your phone.

I have the 2020 SE and the iPad Mini 5. It’s the perfect combo for me. I tried an iPad Air but it’s just too big for me to use in bed. I prefer a smaller tablet.

and Apple has refurbished Mini 5 for $319 so pretty good deal.
 

snipr125

macrumors 68000
Oct 17, 2015
1,813
2,860
UK
Got my SE at the beginning of May, and with each passing day I appreciate this compact phone even more. Just love the size and weight of it compared to my 8 plus. I was worried about the lower 326 ppi screen, but it is barely noticeable which has surprised me. Battery constantly lasts me 2 days which has also surprised me, but I do have my iPad for more prolonged media consumption. Also I love the white back and silver aluminium rails to complement the black bezels, looks really modern, clean and stylish.
 

tt061282

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2018
367
409
Nevada
Got my SE at the beginning of May, and with each passing day I appreciate this compact phone even more. Just love the size and weight of it compared to my 8 plus. I was worried about the lower 326 ppi screen, but it is barely noticeable which has surprised me. Battery constantly lasts me 2 days which has also surprised me, but I do have my iPad for more prolonged media consumption. Also I love the white back and silver aluminium rails to complement the black bezels, looks really modern, clean and stylish.

You and me both. I got mine launch weekend and everyday I appreciate the device more and more. I honestly got it as a “holdover” device until the iPhone 12 5.4” (or whatever) came out, but the more days that pass the more I love the phone. It truly is a beast of a compact machine. No doubt at all.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,492
Anyone upgraded from an iPhone 7 Plus to an SE 2?

I'm considering it, but the smaller screen and the single-lens camera are keeping me from taking the plunge. I feel like it would almost be a step down or maybe a lateral move, rather than a step up?

I personally like the digital optical zoom on the 7+/8+, some claim ‘they never use it’, I find plenty of usage in scenarios, which is the only thing ‘lacking‘ specifically from the dual camera transition to the iPhone SE 2.
 
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Knowlege Bomb

macrumors G4
Feb 14, 2008
10,199
8,847
US
I agree with this 100%. Battery life and build quality is amazing. Only thing I hate is how heavy it is. I have an upgrade available through VZW and have been contemplating if I want to take advantage of the Walmart offer for the $199 SE. I guess I could still do it and keep my 11 Pro, and have this as a backup.
Never hurts to have a backup. I still have a 7 stashed away in a closet just because I was never able to find anybody that wanted it.
 

2ndHalfCor

macrumors newbie
Sep 23, 2014
14
7
Idaho
I went from the 11 pro (not plus) to the SE and am very happy with it. This phone (the SE) is a keeper. It’s all subjective, of course, but it suits me.

I never felt like I was getting my money’s worth with the 11 pro and always feared dropping it. It was too heavy and I never was a fan of Face ID. It was a boring phone that cost too much.

The SE fits in my shirt pocket, gets better battery life than my old iPhone 7 (although not as good as the 11 pro). I like the ease and simplicity of Touch ID. Just the best iPhone I’ve had for my usage.

Now if only Apple would come out with a rugged and round Apple Watch I would be content! Lol.
 

Frankras

macrumors regular
Mar 9, 2012
222
153
I went from the 11 pro (not plus) to the SE and am very happy with it. This phone (the SE) is a keeper. It’s all subjective, of course, but it suits me.

I never felt like I was getting my money’s worth with the 11 pro and always feared dropping it. It was too heavy and I never was a fan of Face ID. It was a boring phone that cost too much.

The SE fits in my shirt pocket, gets better battery life than my old iPhone 7 (although not as good as the 11 pro). I like the ease and simplicity of Touch ID. Just the best iPhone I’ve had for my usage.

Now if only Apple would come out with a rugged and round Apple Watch I would be content! Lol.

I just did the same. Went from Iphone 11 (not pro) to Iphone SE. I was never happy with my 11, beside battery life.
 

mooid

macrumors newbie
Sep 25, 2015
2
0
Yes and no. I had to order a replacement unfortunately because the rear camera would struggle to focus. I had it for a week and took hundreds of photos. Oddly enough the issue seemed to worsen with each passing day, and it didn't matter the stillness of the subject, natural vs artificial lighting, indoor or outdoor, macro or wide shots, case on/case off, every single photo appeared slightly out of focus and visibly lacking in detail and sharpness (and yes the camera lens was clear of debris and smudges). Forget about cropping the photo in any way. I even purchased Halide for its manual focus and did troubleshooting with Apple but no luck. I'm upgrading from a 6s, so I expected the camera to perform significantly better on the new SE, but it was actually WORSE than my 6s. I'm really hoping I just got a one-in-a-million dud because I loved everything else about the phone! Wal-mart should be delivering the replacement next week; fingers crossed there are no issues.
 

asoksevil

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2010
483
158
London, UK
Got mine at launch and returned it after using it for literally 5-10 minutes. It is just too similar to my iPhone 7-8 and knowing that I like to keep my phones for long years, I cannot justify having a phone with such thick bezels and outdated design for another 3-4 years. iPhone 12 5.4" might make me want to jump from my iPhone SE
 

jimmy_uk

macrumors 68020
Oct 19, 2015
2,375
3,192
UK
Got mine at launch and returned it after using it for literally 5-10 minutes. It is just too similar to my iPhone 7-8 and knowing that I like to keep my phones for long years, I cannot justify having a phone with such thick bezels and outdated design for another 3-4 years. iPhone 12 5.4" might make me want to jump from my iPhone SE
Not sure what you expected? It is literally an iPhone 8 with today's processor.
 

ssledoux

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2006
4,311
4,177
Down south
Gosh I absolutely love the size of mine, and I was so pumped to go to something smaller after years of big phones. However, I really struggle to type texts on it. It is KILLING me. I am constantly having to back up and fix stuff. I use talk to text when I can, but sometimes it’s just not possible, and sometimes talking to text requires so much correcting it’s absurd.

There is nothing else I have regretted at all. It’s so dang nice to hold and use one-handed.

It’s definitely making me think the 5.4 phone in the fall will be a little on the small side for me, and I do think I’ll ultimately wind up with something a little bigger, although not back to anything as big as the 11.
 

jimmy_uk

macrumors 68020
Oct 19, 2015
2,375
3,192
UK
Gosh I absolutely love the size of mine, and I was so pumped to go to something smaller after years of big phones. However, I really struggle to type texts on it. It is KILLING me. I am constantly having to back up and fix stuff. I use talk to text when I can, but sometimes it’s just not possible, and sometimes talking to text requires so much correcting it’s absurd.

There is nothing else I have regretted at all. It’s so dang nice to hold and use one-handed.

It’s definitely making me think the 5.4 phone in the fall will be a little on the small side for me, and I do think I’ll ultimately wind up with something a little bigger, although not back to anything as big as the 11.
The choices for series 12 are 5.4", 6.1", 6.7". As the SE 2020 is 4.7" why wouldn't the 5.4" be ideal? Wider, all screen. The 6.1 is basically the iphone 11 size so I guess these are out.

I find keyboard swiping easier on a small phone to minimise errors.
 
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ssledoux

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2006
4,311
4,177
Down south
The choices for series 12 are 5.4", 6.1", 6.7". As the SE 2020 is 4.7" why wouldn't the 5.4" be ideal? Wider, all screen. The 6.1 is basically the iphone 11 size so I guess these are out.

I find keyboard swiping easier on a small phone to minimise errors.

Yeah it might make enough difference. I didn’t Ever have this much trouble typing on the 11. IDK what the heck my problem is. I shouldn’t suck this badly at typing on a phone.

I haven’t tried the swiping. Perhaps I should.
 

stinkhorn9

macrumors 6502
Mar 29, 2020
281
192
I’m surprised I’m having issues because I have pretty small hands, but I can hardly type a single word without a typo. It’s frustrating.
If you’re coming from a bigger phone, maybe your muscle memory navigating around a smaller keyboard will need time to improve? (I don’t know whether I’m talking sense - I’ve never had a bigger phone - maybe there’s not much in it) - but surely you’ll get more used to it if you persevere. Are you a two-thumb typist?
 

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,992
I’m surprised I’m having issues because I have pretty small hands, but I can hardly type a single word without a typo. It’s frustrating.

The following is merely my speculative take on what might be going on.

My first Apple phone was an iPhone 4S. Prior to that, I had a BlackBerry Bold 9700. On the Apple iPhone 4S, I was able to type without a problem with close to zero typos. Then I had a 5 and 5S, and again, zero typos. Then moved on to 7 and an 8, so wider screens. Typing should have been easier, right? No.

I think, somewhere down the line of iOS versions, Apple made some changes to their keypress recognition algorithms in iOS to suit newer screen sizes and somehow other sizes have been left un-optimised in a way. Just my own personal experience makes me think so, I do not know. iOS 10 was fine on the 5S, even though I had begun to feel the errors at the back of my head, just not that front and centre as they can be today on larger screens. We can only hope that they pay more attention to the smallest of things that help the users feel satisfied, rather than focus on far larger things such as camera and new features to generate an annual 'aww' and 'awe'.

Some might get triggered with this remark of mine and some might agree, that iOS 6 was near perfect in a lot of aspects, experientially. It took care of such experiences as the simple typing experience. It has been downhill since then, in the context of their being present ever so small niggles that often annoy, despite the iOS upgrades being an evolution over previous versions as a whole.

If only Apple would really focus on the smallest of experiences rather than temporary wow features...
 
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ssledoux

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2006
4,311
4,177
Down south
If you’re coming from a bigger phone, maybe your muscle memory navigating around a smaller keyboard will need time to improve? (I don’t know whether I’m talking sense - I’ve never had a bigger phone - maybe there’s not much in it) - but surely you’ll get more used to it if you persevere. Are you a two-thumb typist?

I guess that’s possible. I have had larger phones for a long time. But I’m hitting the correct letters - it‘s just that my fingers or thumbs actually hit anything around it EXCEPT the correct letter.

Yes, most of the time I use my thumbs. Occasionally I use one thumb if I have a quick answer and I need to use only one hand.
 
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tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
Gosh I absolutely love the size of mine, and I was so pumped to go to something smaller after years of big phones. However, I really struggle to type texts on it. It is KILLING me. I am constantly having to back up and fix stuff. I use talk to text when I can, but sometimes it’s just not possible, and sometimes talking to text requires so much correcting it’s absurd.

There is nothing else I have regretted at all. It’s so dang nice to hold and use one-handed.

It’s definitely making me think the 5.4 phone in the fall will be a little on the small side for me, and I do think I’ll ultimately wind up with something a little bigger, although not back to anything as big as the 11.
This is my biggest concern. I text dozens of times a day. Even going from my 8+ to a slightly more narrow 11 took a while to get used to, and the se is quite a bit smaller than the 11. It’s weird to think back in the early days a phone like the iPhone 6 was considered big.
 
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